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Katy Perry Haircut: Why did Katy Perry cut her hair?

Why this princess of pop's hair today is gone tomorrow and what Katy Perry's short hair means to her - by Deborah Grunfeld
  • 01 Jun 2019
Katy Perry Haircut:  Why did Katy Perry cut her hair?
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From long princess locks to the pixie cut, singer Katy Perry has gone to great lengths over her hair styles. And it would seem she has also never met a hair colour she couldn't embrace, from blonde to blue to black and even pink and green!

So who is this colourful character, Katy Perry, and what is the long and the short of her hair story?

The 34-year-old popstar, born Katheryn Elizabeth Hudson, rose to fame in 2008 when her singles “I Kissed a Girl” and “Hot n Cold” both reached top 3 on the Billboard Hot 100. Since then, she's been a “Teenage Dream” and one of the “California Gurls”. Her 2013 album Prism helped Katy became the first artist to receive one billion views on Vevo for “Roar” and “Dark Horse.”

Since then, Katy Perry has continued to release popular music and recently performed at Coachella with Zedd. She is also a judge on American Idol and has featured in movies such as The Smurfs and Zoolander.

In the last few years, her songs haven’t quite hit the heights as those on her first few albums, but Katy, who is engaged to Orlando Bloom, is still front and centre due to her vibrant personality and catchy hits, still playing on radio 10 years later.

And then there is her ever-changing parade of hairdos. Katy Perry's haircuts have caught the eye of many due to how colourful and unique each one is and this year she has been featuring platinum blonde looks and pixie hair cuts.

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5.31.19 Pre-save in bio. #NeverReallyOver 🧡

But now it seems that as well as releasing new music (out this Friday, May 31), she is also trying out new hair, posting some wild apricot locks on her Instagram on May 28.

Here we take a look at the best of Katy Perry's other hair hits.

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Como te llamas, baby? link in bio bb.

On April 20, 2019, Katy Perry debuted new hair on her Instagram: gorgeous shoulder length blonde locks, the first time in a while that she has gone for longer hair.

Only a few days before she had a blonde pixie cut when she performed at Coachella with Zedd.

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I WASNT READY TILL NOW

Back in 2017, Katy shocked all when she went short with a blonde pixie cut. 

She told Ellen DeGeneres that she had to chop her hair because over-bleaching was causing Katy's longer locks to fall out, similar to when Lady Gaga said she had to have a "chemical haircut" back in 2011 because of her dyed blond hair.

But sitting down with Viceland series The Therapist, Katy gave more reasons for the chopped look.

"I'm really strong as Katy Perry and then sometimes I'm not as strong as Katheryn Hudson," she said. "People like to talk about my hair, right? They don't like it or they wish that it was longer. I so badly want to be Katheryn Hudson that I don't even want to look like Katy Perry anymore sometimes. And that is a little bit of why I cut my hair is because I really want to be my authentic self, like 100%."

Although some fans compared Katy Perry's short hair to that of Miley Cyrus and Justin Bieber and commented how much they preferred it long, others welcomed the new look and praised her for her bravery.

Katy Perry opens up about suicidal thoughts

Although Katy's signature hair colour is jet black, judging by her baby pictures her natural hair colour would seem to be brown.

Speaking to Glamour, she revealed the reason for her many hairstyles: "I'm naturally the most boring dishwater squirrel brown. So I've been playing with colors since I was 15. I loved the grunge green, and shocking blue was fun. Colored hair is such a huge accessory that you don't even need to add extra stuff."

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it's almost time tiny dancer #witnessthetour

All the colours of the rainbow!

Dark Blue Hair

The smurf look: Dark Blue Hair

Getty Images

Resembling her hairstyle in the "California Gurls" music video, Katy decided to go for bright blue hair and a fringe at the MTV Movie Awards in California on June 6, 2010.  

Pink Hair

Shocking: Pink Hair

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A rosy hue was Katy’s choice of hair for the 2011 MTV Europe Music Awards.

Blue Hair

Turquoise dream

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For the 2012 Echo Awards, Katy went for a unique hairstyle and a turquoise dye.

Purple Streaks

Deep purple

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Making an appearance on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno in 2012, Katy Perry went for the colour purple.

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Baaaaaast fraaaandsss fur-avaa @jiffpom

Who is cuter? Katy Perry in Feb. 2014 with short black hair and fringe ... or one of the world's most famous pets, @jiffpom? 

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SLIME GREEN FOR SPRING by my bb's @neeenaboo & @brantmayfield at the @mcmillansalon 🌴😜🌴😜

In April 2014, Katy went “slime green for spring,” keeping her black roots and fringe but adding a pop of sludge for the rest.

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BAUSS BISH BB 💅💁

Green plait buns with slicked back hair in June 2014.

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@britneyspears @justintimberlake

Embracing an indigo hue -  and a Britney-JT flashback -  in August 2014. 

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OOTD school girl raincoat vibez

How about a burgundy bob? December 2014. 

Lavender Hair

Violet vibes

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The singer attended the 57th GRAMMY Awards in February 2015 with lavender hair to complement her outfit.

Red Hair

An auburn arrangement

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Katy decided to change up her look in September 2015, showcasing fiery red hair at the Harper ICONS Party. 

Black bob

Back to black

Gettty Images

Katy went for a sophisticated black bob for the 8th Annual GO Campaign Gala in November 2015. 

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Kindness competition time! Spread the ❤️ this Christmas and tell me about your charitable good deeds with the hashtags #HMdresstogive and #HappyandMerry. The prize for the most impressive act of kindness will win the fairy dress worn by yours truly in @HM's holiday campaign. Can't wait to hear your stories! Click link in bio for more info ☝🏻👼🏻💫

No, seriously, all-the-colours-of-the-rainbow hair in December 2015 - and the perfect match for that fairy outfit.

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PUMP. UP. THE. JAM❗️Pump up dem eyes 👁💥 Right, @COVERGIRL? #plumpify

Her iconic long black hair perfectly compliments her fair skin and light eyes in January 2016.

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New life who dis

Looking white hot with a lob (long bob) in February 2017. 

Blonde Bob

Blonde ambition

Getty Images

Katy Perry sported a tousled blonde do to the 59th GRAMMY Awards in February 2017.

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Katy Kardashian

Long blonde French plait braids are well suited to the caption “Katy Kardashian” in April 2017.

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50 Shades 💙🌈💜 just wrapped with @katyperry WHAT was your fav hair colour we did? Let me know for your chance to wins complete colour hair spray range! #chrisappletonhair makeup by the VERY major @patrickstarrr MORNTING

Who knew a streak of bright blue through the middle of a grey pixie cut could look so good? (June 2017)

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And that's a wrap on the Asian leg of Witness The Tour! Fell in love with many different cherry blossoms from Tokyo to South Korea... so @rickhenryla and I decided I should become one 🌸

Inspired by the cherry blossoms she came across on the Asian leg of "Witness: the Tour”, Katy decided to turn her hair cherry pink in April 2018.

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call me the purple teletubby ok 💜

A bright lavender pixie chop, paired with the caption “call me the purple Teletubby ok 💜" in May 2018.

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What's the difference between a piano and a fish? You can't tuna-fish 🤷🏼‍♂️

Spicing up her short hair with a fluro green look, showing that having less hair doesn’t mean any less possibilities for different looks. (September 2018)

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In "The Battle of AmfAR" documentary, Liz Taylor said "Bitch, do something!" Last night, I took those words to heart when I had the honor of being given The Award of Courage from @amfar, who has certainly been doing everything they possibly can to end HIV/AIDS. Thank you, AmfAR for all that you do. Thank you Mayor @EricGarcetti for the very kind words last night. And special thanks to @alexismabille for helping bring my mother's nickname for me, Feather, to life 💙 📸 @gettyimages

The classic: platinum blonde pixie cut. (October 2018)

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hi #americanidol is starting on the east coast pls vote for ur favs cause im too stressed thx @abcnetwork

Growing pains: on American Idol in April this year, Katy Perry featured a tousled platinum blonde bob ...

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Daydreaming of a world where we have 14 #americanidol(s) 💞(cause this SKRESSFUL)

... and fluro pink (with matching eyeshadow!)

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VOTE! #AmericanIdol

Most recently, Katy looked gorgeous with long blonde hair and many fans thought so too. 

Katy Perry long apricot hair may 29

Katy Perry on May 29

Getty Images

Catch Katy Perry's new video, here.

Katy Perry - Never Really Over
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Deborah Grunfeld
Deb used to be a maths geek before she discovered the joys of the couch potato life and a "career" writing about celebrities. Now, 21 years of dedicated TV-watching and gossiping later, she's proud to never be seen without a screen.

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